Weighing-machine



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

v F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE. v No. 570,293. Patented Oct. 27', 1896;

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

No. 570,293. Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet a.

P. H. RICHARDS. WEIGHING MACHINE.

No. 570,293. Patented Oct. 27,1896;

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5 S D R A H O I R H P WEIGHING MACHINE. No. 570,293. Patented Oct. 27,1896 W'iiness es in v e ndor:

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F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE. No. 570,298 Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

Wiinesses 1440671 [071 myw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

WEIGHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,293, dated October27, 1896.

Application filed May 8, 1896. Serial No. 590,692. (No model.)

To aid whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, Farmers H. Rrcnanns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWeighing-Ma chines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to weighing-machines, an object of the inventionbeing to provide an improved organization of m echanism comprehending anefficient interlockin g system operable between the valve and thebucket-closer and the regulatorhopper, whereby premature operation ofeither of these members will be positively prevented.

in the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a weighing-machine comprising myimprovements in the preferred embodiment thereof. Fig. 1 is a detailview of the stop mechanism. Fig. 2 is an. end elevation of the machineas seen from the left in Fig. 1, illustrating the positions occupied bythe respective parts thereof at the commencement of operation. Figs. 3,41, and 5 are similar views of the machine at successive stages in itsoperation.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the nature and mode of operation of mypresent invention, it is shown in connection with a weighing-machine ofthe kind disclosed in Letters Patent No. 412,719, granted to me December16, 1890, to which reference may be had. It is obvious, however, and itis to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited to suchan application, as it is capable of efiicient use in connection withother types of machines.

The framework for supporting the operative parts of the machine maybe ofany suitable or preferred form, and is herein illustrated comprising theside frames or uprights 2 and 4, braced or connected at the bottom bythe plate 3, preferably formed integral therewith, and connected at thetop by the plate 5, having a preferably integrally-formed chute or spoutH of ordinaryconstruction. In practice the chute or spout H will besupplied with a stream of material by suitable or convenient means.

The top plate 5 is illustrated carrying adjacent to its opposite endsthe pivots or knifeedges 15 and 15, which constitute a suitable meansfor supporting the counterweighted scale-beam, which is designated in ageneral way by 13.

The scale-beam comprises, preferably intermediate of its ends, a hollowshaft 6, to which shaft, at points near its extremities, are connectedV-shaped bearings 16 and 16 respectively resting on the beam-supports orknife-edges 15 and 15. The scale-beam also comprises a pair offorwardlyextending arms, preferably formed integral with the shaft 0 andat points near the opposite ends thereof, said arms constituting asuitable means for supporting the bucket mechanism, one of said armsbeing shown at 7.

The weight-carrying arm of the scale-beam is designated by S andprojects rearward from the shaft 6, being also illustrated providedwith. a knife-edge 17.

As a means for supporting the scale-beam weight, which is designated byV, a rod 9 is shown, said weight being suitably secured to said rod. Therod 9 is shown carrying at its upper end a bracket 10, equipped with a-V- shaped bearing 17, sustained by the pivot or knife-edge 17 of thescale-beam. Said rod J is also illustrated extended below the weight andpassed through an opening formed in the yoke 12, and having the collaror stop 12 thereon, which impinges against the relatively straightportion of the yoke on the upward movement of said rod to thereby limitsuch movement. The yoke 12 also constitutes a suitable means forsupporting the weight \V.

The bucket, which is of the single-chambered class, is designated in ageneral way by G, and preferably has secured thereto, near its upperedge and to its end walls, hangers equipped with V- shaped bearingsresting upon suitable bucket-supports or knife-edges carried by thescale-beam B. One of such bucket-hangers is shown at 13, its V-shapedIOO The bucketmechanism comprises two 1nen1 bers, one of which isshii'table relatively to the other for discharging the bucket load, andthe bucket-closer, which is designated in a general way by L, is shownconstituting such sh iftable bucket-discharge member. The bucketcloserconsists of a suitably i'ormed plate 20, having a counterweighted arm orarms, as 20, operable for returning said closer to its normal or shutposition, as indicated in Fig. 2.

As a means for supporting the bucketcloser L, the following devicesmaybe employed: 'ihe bucket G, or a suitable bracket thereon, isillustrated as supporting for oscillatory movement the angle-lever 21,to the arm 21 of which is shown pivotally attached the connecting rod orlink 22, the opposite end of said rod or link being pivoted to thecloser. It will be evident that when the angle-lever 21 is held againstmovement by a suitable device, the connected bucketcloser L will be alsorestrained. For thus blocking the movement of the closer L a latch 25.3,pivotally supported 011 one end of the bucket G, is illustrated, saidlatch having the arm 23' for engaging the underlying arm 21. ot' theangle-lever 21, so that the con nected closer may be held againstopening movement, as indicated in Fig. \Yhen the latch 23 is swung aboutits pivot, it will be evident that its arm 23 will be disengaged fromthe arm 2i, this action also freeing the bucket-closer L, so that theweight of the bucket contents pressing against the latter may force itopen to cause the discharge oi said contents or bucket load. The latch22 will be also provided with a suitable counterweight l'or maintainingit in engagement with the said arm 21, and suitable stops will be alsoemployed for limiting the m vemcnt of said latch.

As a means for controlling the supplystream which l'lows jli'rom thechute or hopper ll, the valve 25 may be employed, it consisting in thepresent instance of a practically flat plate suitably connected to thearms 9o and 213, a'llixed to the supporting-shalt 27, which latter isprelerabl y journaled in brackets or lugs formed on the chute or hopperll at opposite ends thereol.

As a means for effecting the closing movement of the valve, whereby itmay be swung across the discharge-out]et or mouth of the chute orhopper, as indicated in the drawings, to thereby cut olt' thesupply-stream, the device shown may be employed.

The valve-su1 1porting shaft 27 is illustrated having suitably attachedthereto the member 28, consisting ot' a counterweighted arm 29, whichconstitutes a valve-closing device, and the stop or segmental blade 30,these parts constituting, preferably, a unitary structure. The peculiarfunction of the stop or blade will be hereinafter more particularly dcscribed. The effect of the counter-weighted arm 29 is to normally exerta downward pressure, which is communicated to the valve supportingshall; 27 to rock the same, and hence close the valve 25, as will bereadily obvious.

As a means for actuating the valve to open the same, thefollowing-described i11- strumentalities may be employed: A bifurcatedrod is illustrated at 231 pivotally suspended t'rom the counterweightedarm of the valve and in position for receiving a proper thrust fromasuitable device when the valve is in its closed position, so that saidthrust may be transmitted to the valve to thereby open the same. Acounterweighted lever is illustrated at 32 pivotally supported by thescale-beam l3 and connected to the arm 7 at a point adjacent to theinner end thereof. This counterweighted lever 32 is shil'tablebetween'two positions 011 the scale-beam 13, the peculiar purpose ofwhich will now be made apparent. The normal. position of thecounterweighted lever is illustrated in Fig. 2, its weight being shownprovided with a pin 32, projecting laterally therel'rom, which rests 011the scale-beam 13 at a point perpendicular to the fulcrum thereof, sothat the elfective force of said counterweighted lever will not be addedto said beam when the beam is in its normal position. Thecounterweighted lever at a point adjacent to its inner end (see dottedline, Fig. is provided with a lateral projection or pin 32, which. isstraddled or embraced by the bifurcation of the thrust-rod ill.

1.)uring the normal operation ot' the machine the' counterweighted lever$.32 practically forms a continuation of the scale-beam B, as indicatedin Fig. 2, so that on the le scendingmovementot said beam ll, said leverbeing in engagement with the thrust-rod 2.3.1, the closing of the valveby the counter weighted arm 25) will be limited or checked by said lever32, as will. be apparent.

At a predetermined point in. the operation of the machine the lever 32is shifted about its pivot on the beam 13, as illustrated in Fig. 5, sothat on its return to the normal.position. thereof, as indicated .inFig. 2, an upward thrust will. be imparted to the rod 31 and through thehereinbefore-described conncc tions transmitted to the valve 95 foropening the same, itbeing evident that said lever eonst'itutes avalve-opening actuator.

A vertically-movable hopper is shown. at l, and said hopper is depressible from its normal. position, being suitably suspended for oscillatory movement between the side frames 2 and -l-. lror effecting thedownwzu'd movement of the hopper 1, this is accomplished by the weightof the mass oi material or load dis charged by the bucket, whichoverbalances the weight 333, suitably connected to said hopper at apoint to the rear of its axis of movement.

A floor or support for sustaii'iing the weighing-machine is designatedby 1 and is shown apertured at 3%, a discharge chute or pipe 1) passingthrough said opening. The inlet of the discharge-chute D is illustratedas flared, said chute being also provided with a flange, as 35, alongits upper edge resting on the floor F and constituting a suitable meansfor supporting said chute.

The mass discharged by the bucket into the hopper P is directed therebyto the dischargeoutlet 36 of said hopper into the com municating chuteD. The discharge-outlet 36 of said hopper is illustrated relativelysmaller than that of the bucket, so that if the c011- sumption of thematerial supplied by the weighing-machine to a grinding-mill or the likeshould not exceed the supply, the mass will accumulate in the chute Dand the hopper P, which will then be in its depressed position, asindicated in Fig. 5, the mass preventing the return movement of thecloserL until the accumulation has run off.

It is desirable at a predetermined point in the closing movement of thevalve to inter cept the same, so that it may be held to there by permitthe flow of a drip or reduced stream into the bucket for the purpose ofcompleting the partial load in the bucket.

The valve-supporting shaft 27 is illustrated having attached thereto thedepending rod 37, which, it will be evident, is oscillatory with thevalve 25, so that when said rod is blocked in its movement the connectedvalve 25 will be also checked.

The bucket G is illustrated carrying a stop, as 38, (herein illustratedas a by-pass pivotally supported thereon,) the vertical arm 38 of whichis operable for engaging the depending rod 37, a suitable stop or stopsbeing employed for preventing the movement of said latch when suchaction takes place.

On the descent of the bucket below the poising line-indicating thecompletion of the bucket loadthe stop 38 will also descend therewith,thereby releasing the rod 37 and also the connected valve 25, so thatthe latter maybe closed for cutting off the drip stream,

-as indicated in Fig. 4. On the return move-.

ment of the rod 37 it engages the vertical arm of the by-pass 38 andwill swing the latter about its pivot, so that said rod 37 may return toits normal position, the said by-pass dropping to its normal positionthrough the intervention of a suitable device, such as the counterweight38.

It will be remembered that a latch 23 has been described as normallyoperable for holding the bucket-closer against opening movement, itsdetent-arm 23 engaging the underlying or coacting detent-arm of theanglelever 21, which is connected to the bucket closer L.

For tripping the latch 23, whereby the two detent-arms 23 and 21 may bedisengaged and the closer L also freed of restraint, means operativewith the valve 25 will be preferably employed. For obtaining this resultthe rod 37 is utilized. The latch 23 is illustrated provided with theapproximately vertical arm 23, which is disposed in the path of movementof the rod 37, so that when said rod 37 has been released in the mannerpreviously described, and 011 the further or final closing of the valve25, it may impart a blow to the vertical arm 23, which will swing thesaid latch about its pivot and disengage the detentarms 23 and 21. Atthis juncture, the closerbeing free to open, the mass contained in thebucket will force the same open and be thereby discharged into thehopper P. The weight of the discharged mass will depress said hopper,the ascending movement thereof being caused by the weight when a certainquantity of the material flows from said hopper into the communicatingconduit D.

My present invention contemplates the provision of reciprocallyeffective stops operative between the valve and closer and preferablyconnected with said members, the'stop connected to the closer beingsupported by the frame of the machine, so that the thrust eX ertedagainst said step by the coactingstop is taken up or received by theframework and cannot thereby be directed against any of the operativeparts of the machine, whereby the accuracy of the machine cannot beimpaired.

A relatively short rock-shaft is shown at 40, suitably supported by thetop plate 5 of the machine and having sleeved thereon the tubular casing11, to which is affixed the stop or segmental blade a3, having thedownwardlyextending arm ii. The stop 43 constitutes a suitable means forpreventing the opening movement of the valve when the closer is open orpartially opened and the bucket is discharging its load.

The segmental blade 30, to which reference has been hereinbefore made,constitutes the valve-operative stop, it being attached to thevalve-supporting shaft 27, and hence oscillatory therewith, so that anylimitation in the movement of said stop 30 will likewise affect thevalve. The stop 30 is illustrated having the supplemental steps orstop-faces 30 and 30, the first-mentioned of which is a curved faceconcentric with the axis of movement of said stop, the other being anapproximately straight face departing therefrom. The stop -l3 isillustrated similarly equipped, its two stop-faces being designated by43 and 43", respeetively.

It will be remembered that an angle-lever 21 has been hereinbeforedescribed constituting a part of the closer-supporting means, it beingoperatively connected thereto. One of the arms of said angle-lever(herein shown as the arm 21" thereof) will be in sliding engagement withthe stop 43 for actuating said step on the initial opening movement ofthe bucket-closer, whereby it becomes immedi ately operable forpreventing the opening of the valve. The angle-lever arm 21 is shownhaving formed therein the longitudinal slot 45, through which is passeda stud or pin 44, formed on the stop-arm it, by reason of whichconstruction the bucket may have free vertical movement withoutaffecting the rela lien of the coacting stops.

The operation of theliereinbefore-describet stops is obvious from aninspection of the drawings. \Vhile the valve is in its open position, orpartially open, as indicated in 2 and 3, the stop-faces and t3 willbeapproximately in contact, so that any tendency of the stop 43 tooscillate about its pivotprovided the latch 23 should be prematurelytrippedwill be effectually resisted by the stop 30, the pressure of theoscillating stop being directed practically against th e framing or thevalve-supporting shaft 27. \Vhen the stop 30 has intersected the planeof curvature of the stop-face 43", it will be evident that said step,and hence the connected closer L, may oscillate about their respectiveaxes, provided, of course, the latch 23 has been tripped. On the openingmovement of the closer the rod 22 will be moved upward thereby, thisaction rocking the angle-lever 21 about its pivot on the bucket G, thesaid lever swinging the connected stop 43 under the stop 30, so that theopening movement of the valve will be positively prevented while thisrelation continues, the stop 4:3 serving practically as a fixed abutmentfor this purpose, and its support receiving the entire thrust from thestop 30 throughout the operation.

It will be remembered that a hopper has been hereinbefore describedwhich is de pressible from its normal position by the weight of a massof material discharged by the bucket, and that occasionally said hopperwill remain in its depressed position. for a relatively long period oftime, due to the failure of the device which receives the material fromthe machine to equal the output thereof, the hopper remaining in suchdepressed position until the accumulated material has gravitatedtherefrom to the chute I). It is important to maintain the valve in itsclosed position when the hopper is depressed, and particularly so whensuch a contingency as that just pointed out arises.

The rock-shaft is illustrated having attached thereto the stop at; andas also having the crank-arm 4L7, to the inner end of which isillustrated pivoted the connecting-rod 48, the opposite end of thelatter being likewise connected to the hopper P, such connectiontherewith being at a point to the left of a vertical line passingthrough the axis of movement of said hopper. The stop 46 coacts with thestop 30 and is operable for blocking the opening movement of the valve25 when the hopper P is in its depressed position, as indicated in Fig.l. hen the valve is closed and the stop has been swung under the stop30, the closer may be opened and the bucket load discharged into thehopper. As soon as the mass is received by the hopper P, this descends,the rod 4813cing drawn downward, and the stop 46 through the interposedcrank-arm e7 swung under the stop 30. As soon as the weight o) overcomesthat of the hopper 1 with the mass therein, said hopper will be causedto rise thereby, and the step 415 will be swung from under the stop 30through the hercinbefore described connections, the same operation beingrepeated with the stop i when the closer has resumed its shut position.

The operation of the hereinbefore-described machine briefly is asfollows: Fig. 2 represents the positions occupied by the variousoperative parts at the commencement of operation, the valve 25 being inits full open position and the closer L locked shut. When a certainproportion of the load has been received by the bucket, it will descend,the beam 13 descending in unison therewith. The lever 32, descemlingwith the scale-beam l3 and falling from under the bifurcated thrust-rod31, permits the closing movement of the valve by the counter-weightedarm 2.). The position occupied by the parts at the commencement of thepoising period is illus trated in Fig. 3, where the rod 37, connectedwith the valve 25,has been intercepted by the by-pass stop 38, the valve25 also being held against further movement to permit the flow of thedrip stream into the nearly-loaded bucket, which continues to descend.On the completion of the bucket load the bucket will move below thepoising line, carrying the stop 38 therewith, which causes the releaseof the rod 37, and hence the connected valve 25, whereby the latter maybe instantly closed by the counterweighted arm 2t). On the release ofthe valve 25 the rod 237 will be carried into engagement with. thelatch-arm 23 of the latch 23 and will swing the latter about its pivot,whereby its detent-arm 2 3 may be disengaged from the coacting detentarm21 of the angle-lever 21, this action freeing the connected bucketcloserL, whereby it maybe instantly forced open by the weight of the bucketcontents, which. are then directed into the depressible hopper l andfrom thence into the chute l').

llaving described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with a buckethaving a closer, of a valve provided with a stop; and a coacting stopsupported by the framing and operatively connected with said closer.

2. The combination with a bucket having a closer, of a lever operativelyconnected to said closer; a valve having a stop; and a coacting stop insliding engagement with said lever.

3. The combination with a bucket having a closer, of a hopper located toreceive a load of material discharged by said bucket a valve providedwith a stop; and a pair of stops op erative, respectively, with thecloser and hopper and coacting with. said first-mentioned step.

i. The combination with a valve and with bucket mechanism embodying ashiftable load-discharge member, of means normally operative for holdingsaid member against movement; a stop operative with said valve; and acoacting stop in sliding engagement with said holding means.

5. The combination with a bucket having a closer, of an angle-leveroperatively connected with said closer; and a stop in sliding engagementwith said angle-lever.

6. The combination with a closer of an angle-lever connected thereto bya link; a latch for engaging one of the arms of said angle-lever and astop provided with an arm in sliding engagement with the other arm oisaid angle-lever.

7. The combination with a bucket having a closer, of a valve;closer-supporting means; a stop connected to said valve; and a coactingstop in sliding engagement with said closer-supporting means.

8. The combination with a bucket having a closer, of an angle-leversupported by the bucket and having one of its arms connected to saidcloser by a link and the other provided with a longitudinal slot; alatch for en gaging said first-mentioned arm; a suitablysupported stophaving an arm provided with a pin passing through said longitudinalslot; and a valve having a stop coacting with said first-mentioned stop.

9. The combination with a bucket having a closer of a hopper movablysupported beneath said bucket a suitablysupported rockshaft operativelyconnected with said hopper and provided with a stop; and a second stopsleeved on said shaft and operatively connected with the bucket-closer;and a valve provided with a stop coacting with said firstmentionedsteps.

10. The combination with a bucket having a closer, of an angle-leverconnected thereto; a hopper movably supported beneath said bucket andadapted for receiving a load discharged thereby; a rock-shaft having acrank arm and provided with a stop; a rod operatively connected withsaid crank-arm and hopper; a stop sleeved 011 said shaft and opcrativelyconnected to the closer; and a valve provided with a stop coacting withsaid firstmentioned stops.

11. The combination with avalve and with a bucket having a closer, of alever operatively connected to said closer; a rod rigidly attached tosaid valve; a stop 011 the bucket positioned for engaging said rod at apredetermined point in the closing movement of the valve, and for alsoreleasing said rod; and a two-armed latch, one of the arms of whichnormally engages said lever, the other arm being disposed in the path ofmovement of said rod, whereby the latch will be tripped by said rod 011its release.

12. The combination with a bucket having a closer, of acloser-supporting means embody ing a latch; a valve provided with adepending rod movable therewith; and a stop oper able for engaging saidrod and for also releasing the same, whereby on the release of said rodit is adapted for tripping said latch.

13. The combination with a valve having a depending rod, of a buckethaving a closer; a device operatively connected to the closer; a latchhaving two arms, one of which is operable for engaging said device andthe other of which is disposed in the path of movement of said dependingrod; and a stop for engaging said rod and for releasing the same,whereby it may be carried into contact with said arm of the latch tothereby trip the same.

FRANCIS II. RICHARDS.

lVit-nesses:

FRED. J. DOLE, GEO. A. HOFFMAN.

